Makes Me Say WOW!

In my last post I wrote about searching for answers.  Over the past week some of those answers started to reveal themselves.  Last weekend I had a much needed dinner date with my husband!  While getting ready, I looked in my closet for something "new" and different to wear out.  I came upon a pair of white capris I bought in 2008  but haven't had the courage to wear since the day after I got married.  I thought, "I've been working out hard, let's just try these on and see." Any human woman will tell you that's not always the best idea before going on a date... whether it's with your hubby or not, it just isn't good if they don't fit! Well color me happy because  I shimmied my hips into those white capris, buttoned, zipped and all!!! Thank you Stephanie Sawyer at Ciarla Fitness http://www.ciarlafitness.com/ for kicking my butt and making work outs so much fun!! Sign me up again! That was a nice start to the week and gave me the answer that although it takes quite a few hours of time each week, the drive to Ballantyne and back is well worth every mile and every penny spent!

Another WOW this week was an easy, yet elegant weeknight meal. Every week when I create my menus I try to do some meatless meals and disguise the veggies for my husband.  I also try to cook recipes that are fairly quick and easy, that don't use a lot of fancy ingredients but the meal seems special.  This week I tried a recipe for Spinach and Parmesan Souffles out of the June 2011 issue of Cooking Light magazine and they were a HIT! 



Here's the recipe:
Cooking spray
1 1/2 TBSP dry breadcrumbs
6 oz. fresh baby spinach ( I substituted with about 1 1/2 cups frozen chopped b/c that's what I had)
2/3 cup  fat-free milk
2 TBSP all purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigianno-Reggiano cheese
2 large egg yolks
4 large egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

Place a baking sheet in the over and Preheat to 425 degrees. Coat 4 (6 oz.) ramekins with cooking spray, sprinkle evenly with breadcrumbs, coating sides evenly and completely. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Light coat pan with cooking spray. Add spinach, cook for 2 minutes or until leaves are wilted, tossing constantly.  Place spinach in a colander, let stand 5 minutes. Squeeze excess liquid from spinach. Coarsely chop. Combine 2/3 cup milk and the next 4 ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Stirring with a whisk until smooth.  Cook 2 minutes or until  mixture is thick and bubbly, stirring constantly.  Spoon mixture into a large bowl and let stand for 10  minutes. Stir in spinach, cheese and egg yolks. Combine egg whites adn cream of tartar in a large bowl and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Beat with a mixer on high speed until medium peaks form. Gently stir 1/4 of egg whites into spinach mixture, and gently fold in the reamining egg whites. Gently spoon mixture into prepared dishes on preheated baking sheet. Return to oven, then immediately lower oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake souffles at 350 for 21 minutes or until puffy and golden brown.  Serve immediately.

163 Calories, 6g Fat, 13.2g Protein, 14.6g Carb, 1.4g Fiber
I served these tasty little pillows of goodness with a mixed green salad. I plan to experiment some and try adding shallots next time, or carmelized onions.  Souffles really are easy once you try them, so don't be intimidated by the fancy term Souffle.  Go for it, the possibilities are endless!